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“We’re sorry that our employer is so poor in managing their resources that they are potentially putting your family at risk.”

The letter ends saying it is “time for everyone to support our call” for the chief executive, Ken Wenman, to stand down.

Under pressure: Chief executive Ken Wenman (Image: File image)

Gary Palmer, GMB regional organiser, said the letter had come from a group of members and the union had decided to circulate the plea as “representative of a widespread view” of “despair” among staff, whether members of the GMB or not.

The GMB has about 450 members covering jobs including paramedics, call centre operators, technicians and managers, about 14% of the workforce.

The union is pushing to be officially recognised – Unison is the only one to have that status at South Western Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).

"We absolutely recognise the pressure that they are under and we are working hard with them and with Unison, the recognised union, to improve resource levels, to improve our response to our patients and to improve the health and wellbeing of our staff.

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“We are proud of the way that we work closely with all union representatives on behalf of our staff, including GMB, and so it is disappointing that these comments have gone to the media, rather than to us here at the trust, especially given the meetings that we have recently hosted with GMB representatives where such concerns could have been raised.

"We would urge the GMB to re-engage and talk to us directly.”

Tony Fox, chairman of SWASFT, said: “Along with the rest of the NHS, ambulance services across the country are experiencing significant pressure.

Tony Fox, chairman of the South Western Ambulance Service Trust (Image: File image)

"So it was particularly pleasing that in the last national staff survey, SWASFT had the best results across all ambulance trusts in the country for their engagement with staff, for the health and wellbeing of staff and for the resources available.

"We accept that there is always more to be done and we will continue to work closely with our colleagues and listen and respond to their needs.

He added: “I would like to say thank you to all our people for the excellent job they do in difficult circumstances.”